Improvement in railway-rail joints



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` Patented Nov. 24,1874.

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and the key D2 has a full wedge-shaped head.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

JOSEPH BRYSON AND JAMES PUGH, OF SALINEVILLE, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN RAILWAY-RAIL JOINTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No.'157,152, dated November 24, 1874; application filed october 24, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, J osEPH BRYsoN and JAMES PUGH, of Salineville, in the county of Columbiana and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Method of Uniting Railroad-Rails; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specincation.

Our invention relates to improvements in devices for uniting the ends of railway-rails, whereby the disadvantage and dan ger incident to the use of screw bolts and nuts for securing the fish-plates are entirely obvia-ted. Our invention also renders the use of nut-lock plates unnecessary, and thereby effects a great saving in the cost of ironing railways. The invention consists in a new and improved method of uniting the rails by means of gibbolts, the metal of which is made thin at the middle for the purpose, all as hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of the ends of two railwayrails united by our improved device. Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are enlarged cross-sectional views, showing different forms of the gib-bolts and keys in position.

A A represent the ends of two railwayrails. B B are the lish-plates, one on each side of the rails. The rails and fish-bars are pierced with holes of like shape and size, preferably of elliptical shape; but they may be of any shape and Vsize suitable to the form of gib-bolts which may be used. O O2 O3 represent gib-bolts of different forms and size, those marked (IG3 being double-headed, and those marked O2 having heads on one end only. D D2 D3 are keys, which are inserted between the gib-bolts. The metal of the gib-bolts is made thin toward the center, and gradually increases in thickness toward the ends or heads. rIhis form of bolt permits the rails to expand and contract, as they are influenced by the temperature of the season without materially affecting the joint.

The key D has half-wedge-shaped heads, and is made longer than the double-headed gib-bolt C. `The single-headed gib-bolts G2,

shown by Fig. 3, are made with pointed ends,

The gib-bolt G3, shown by Fig. 4, is partially split through its center, so as to receive the key D3, which is shaped like a Wedge throughout its entire length. Either of these forms of bolts will allow of the expansion and contraction of the rails, like those shown by Fig. 2.

The operation of our invention is as follows: The rails being laid in proper position, and the lishplates placed one on each side, so that the holes in the plates will be directly opposite the holes in the rails, the gibbolts are passed through the holes, which are made sufficiently large for that purpose. The keys are then inserted from the opposite side and (with the exception of the device shown by Fig. 4) forced through between the gibbolts until the ends project beyond the heads of the bolts on the other side of the rails. The projecting ends of the keys are then turned over the bolt-heads, and the operation is complete, as shown by Figs. 2 and 3 ofthe drawings.

With sin gle-headed bolts, such as are shown by Fig. 3, the points of the bolts are turned in over the head of the key, as well as the point of the key turned over the bolt-head.

With the single split or forked bolt, shown by Fig. 4 of the drawings, the key or wedge G3 is driven in between the forked ends; and, if desired, the points of the bolts may be turned in over the key, as shown by Fig. 3.

In this way it will be seen that the rails can be securely united without the use of screw-bolts and nuts, and that all danger of displacement of the rails, through the nuts working loose and dropping off, is obviated; and, as no nuts are used, there is no necessity for a nut-lock plate, while, at the same time, the peculiar form of the bolts permits of the contraction and expansion of the rails, as hereinbefore specified.

What we claim as our invention is- 'Ihe gib-bolts O, made thin at the middle,

ifor the purpose specified, in combination with keys D, sh-plates B, and rails A, substantially as and for the urpose set forth.

In testimony thatgwe claim the foregoing we have hereunto set our hands this 19th day of September, 1873.

- JOSEPH BRYSON.

Witnesses: JAMES PUGH.

J. W. J oHNsoN,l WM. JOHNSON. 

